Aligning fixture



J. A. SPEERS ALIGNING FIXTURE July 16, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 24, 1954 INVENTOR. J4Ms ALBERT SPA-2W3 Arr R/p/ey July 16, 1957 Filed May 24, 1954 J. A. SPEERS ALIGNING FIXTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. /4L 5597 Spams A TTORA/E/ United States Patent ALIGNING FIXTURE James Albert Speers, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 24, 1954, Serial No. 432,003

1 Claim. (Cl. 29-271) This invention relates to tools generally and more particularly to a type of tool adapted for use in assembling and disassembling an ignition distributor.

In the manufacture of an ignition distributor, it is common practice to mount the distributor cam on its associated shaft so that the two unitsare considered as a single component in the complete assembly. Consequently, in servicing a distributor, if it is necessary to disassemble this component, it can be done only by the laborious and tedious method of first removing the terminal gear and its associated pin and collar.

Cognizant of this undesirable feature, the applicant has as the primary object of his invention, the provision of a tool making possible the convenient removal of an ignition distributor cam from its associated shaft, and the accurate reassembly of such units in their original relative positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of the type previously described, which is extremely easy to operate and is consistently accurate in the performance of its intended function.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool of the type previously described, which may be conveniently adapted to accommodate various types and models of ignition distributors.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tool of the type previously described which has a simplified structure and is relatively compact and inexpensive to produce.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will become increasingly apparent after thorough consideration of a detailed discussion composed with reference to the accompanying drawings, constituting a portion of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation view of the press constituting a component of the applicants invention. 7

Figure 2 is an elevation View taken substantially on plane 2-2 in Figure 1, showing the relative size and location of the various structural components of the press.

Figure 3 is a section view taken substantially on plane 3-3 in Figure 2, showing the characteristic shape of the head plate of the press.

Figure 4 is a section view taken substantially on plane 44 in Figure 2, showing the split intermediate plate and the alternate position of the movable section thereof.

Figure 5 is a section view taken substantially on plane 55 in Figure 2 showing the position and size of the locator cup in the base plate.

Figure 6 is an elevation view of a standard type of ignition distributor, with a section of the housing broken away so as to show the relative position of the primary components.

Figure 7 is a plan view taken substantially on plane 7-7 in Figure 6 showing the distributor cam and shaft and the critical angular relationship therebetween.

Figure 8 is an elevation view of the plate for capping the distributor shaft during the assembly and disassembly operation.

Figure 9 is a plan view taken substantially on plane 9-9 in Figure 8 showing the characteristic shaped the central opening in the cap plate.

Figure 10 is an elevation view of an adapter collar showing its characteristic shape and relative size.

Figure 11 is a plan view taken substantially on plane 11--11 in Figure 10, showing the central opening through the collar.

Figure 12 is an elevation view showing the relative size and shape of a typical support rod for use in as-.

sembling the distributor. Figure 13 isan elevation view of the cylindrical shell fixture showing location of the binder screw.

Figure 14 is a section view taken substantially on plane- 1414 in Figure 13, showing the cavities and central opening in the shell.

Figure 15 is a plan view taken substantially on plane 1515 in Figure 13 showing the locator receiving cavity in the upper face of the shell.

Figure 16 is a plan view taken substantially on plane 1616 in Figure 13,. showing the cam receiving cavity in the bottom face of the shell.

Figure 17 is an elevation view of the locator showing its characteristic shape and relative size.

Figure 18 is a plan view taken substantially on plane 1818 in Figure 17, showing the central opening through the locator and the orienting lug on the outer periphery.

For a detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the drawings in which numeral 10 designates a base plate having mounted'therein a pair of spaced upright rods 12 and a centrally retainer cup 13.

An intermediate plate 14, comprising two components 16 and 18 connected together by a hinge 20 for relative co-planar movement, is mounted on the rods 12. A strap 22 is fixed to one of the intermediate plate members 16 so as to overlie the second such member 18. A removable pin 24 is inserted through the strap 22 and the plate 18 so as to lock together the two plate components 16 and 18.

A central opening 26 is provided in the intermediate plate 14 and a pair of spaced upwardly disposed rods 28 are mounted on one of the plate components 18.

A head plate 30 is mounted on the spaced rods 28 and provided with a centrally disposed threaded opening 32. A screw 34, having a head 36 with a slidable handle 38 therethrough, is threaded into the opening 32. A downwardly disposed cup 40 is provided on the free end of the screw 34 for a purpose to be explained later.

Figures 6 and 7 disclose a typical ignition distributor, comprising a hollow housing 42 having an enlarged circular section 44, and an elongated portion 46 with a downwardly disposed annular'seating shoulder 48. A central bearing 50 is provided in the circular section 44 of the housing 42,- for supporting a rotatable cam shaft 52 having a flat seat 53 for securing a removable arm not here shown.

A spiral gear 54 is secured to the lower end of the shaft 52 by a removable drive pin 56. An octagonal cam 58 is removably pressed on the rotatable shaft 52 in the proper angular relationship to the fiat seat 53 thereon.

Figures 8 and 9 disclose a cap plate 59 having a centrally disposed locator boss 60. A downwardly disposed opening 62, configured to receive the flat sided cam shaft 52, is provided in the plate 59 in alignment with the locator boss 60.

Figures 10 and 11 disclose an adapter collar 66 having a laterally disposed annular flange 68. The collar 66 is dimensioned to fit into the opening 26 in the intermediate plate 14 and be supported therein by the annular Patented July 16, 1957 3 flange 68. A central opening 70 is provided through the collar 66 and dimensioned to support properly a particular make and model of distributor housing, 42, in the applicants press during an assembly or disassembly operation.

Figure 12 discloses a typical spacer 64, substantially circular in cross-section and dimensioned to fit into the retainer cup 13. The spacer 64 is adapted to support properly the rotatable shaft 52 within. the distributor housing 42 while the latter is being held in the applicants press for purposes of reassembly.

Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 disclose a cam locating fixture 72 comprising a shell 74, having a central opening 76 therethrough for the reception of a cam shaft such as 52. A cavity 77 is provided in the upper face of the shell 74 adapted to receive a shaft locator 78 having, on the outer periphery, a radially disposed orienting lug 80. The locator 78 has a central opening 82 therethrough aligned with the opening 76 in the shell 74 and adapted to receive a cam shaft such as 52.

A cavity 84 is provided in the lower face of the shell 72, and contoured to receive a particular cam such as 58. A binder screw 86 is threaded into the shell 74, and adapted to extend into the cam receiving cavity 84. In practice, it is necessary to provide components for the cam locating fixture adapted to the specifications of each make and model of ignition distributor to be serviced by the applicants tool.

The above discussion completes a detailed description of the structure characterizing the disclosed embodiment of the applicants invention; however, to insure a more thorough understanding and appreciation of the subject matter involved, a brief discussion will be directed to the manner in which the invention is used and practiced.

To illustrate the manner in which the applicants invention is used, an ignition distributor of the type disclosed in Figures 6 and 7 is placed in the press for purposes of disassembly. The distributor housing 42 is supported in an upright position in the central opening 26 by the seating shoulder 48, which rests either directly on the intermediate plate 14, or on the annular flange 68 of a suitable adapter collar 66. The component 16 of the intermediate plate 14 is then moved to the full line position shown in Figure 4, and secured by inserting the removable pin 24 through the strap 22.

The cap plate 59 is placed on the distributor so that the shaft 52 is in registry with the opening 62 in the plate. The screw 34 is then turned down until the cup 40 therein receives the boss 60 on the cap plate 59, whereupon continued downward movement of the screw 34 is translated to the plate. Such movement of the cap plate 59 forces the distributor shaft 52 through the cam 58 and downward through the housing 42 for removal therefrom with the gear 54 attached.

After the distributor has been re-worked and serviced, it is re-assembled by first placing the distributor housing 42 in the press, with the seating shoulder 48 again resting on the intermediate plate 14-, or on the annular flange 68 of an adapter collar 66, as in the disassembly process. The cam shaft 52 is then re-inserted into the distributor housing 42, through the opening in the bottom thereof. A spacer 64 of proper length is placed in the retainer cup 13 in the bottom plate 10, and positioned under the spiral gear 54 so as to hold the shaft 52 in its assigned position within the distributor housing 42.

The cam 58 is then placed in the cavity 84 in the shell 74-, and secured therein by the binder screw 86. The cam 58 and shell 74 are then placed loosely on the shaft 52, with the cam in a downwardly disposed position. The locator 78 is placed on the exposed end of the shaft. The locator 78 and the shaft 52 are then turned as a unit relative to the cam 58, until the locator drops into the upwardly disposed cavity 77 in the shell 74. The cap plate 59 is again placed over the upper end of the shaft 52 projecting above the shell 74. The screw 34 is then turned down until the cup 40 therein receives the boss 60, whereupon, the continued downward movement of the screw 34 is translated to the cap plate 59.

This downward movement of the cap plate 59 forces the cam 58 downward on the shaft 52 in the proper angular relationship to the flat seat 53. When the upper end of the shaft 53 seats on the bottom of the opening 62 in the cap plate 59, the distributor is completely and accurately re-assembled.

In practice it is possible to assemble the shaft 52 and distributor cam 58 in the fixture shell 74, and force the cam into position by means of a standard shop press. However, the press herein disclosed is a convenient device for holding the distributor housing during the assembly operation, and accordingly provides an effective means for practicing the applicants invention.

Based upon the foregoing discussion, the applicant is of the opinion that his invention has fulfilled a long felt need in the field of automotive tools and equipment, and has accordingly made a valuable contribution to the related art. However, while the invention was described with reference to the details of a single embodiment, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that the principles involved are suceptible of numerous other practical applications.

Therefore, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A fixture for assembling an ignition distributor including a housing, a rotatable shaft and a cam adapted to be pressed on the shaft, such fixture comprising a shell, 21 first cavity in the shell for receiving the distributor cam, a second cavity in the shell, an opening between the two cavities for reception of the rotatable shaft, a locator fitted into the second cavity and means holding the locator in a pre-determined position within the cavity so as to orient the rotatable shaft relative to the distributor cam in the first cavity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 829,488 Ridderhof Aug. 28, 1906 1,135,983 Bartlett Apr. 20, 1915 1,488,217 Prestek Mar. 25, 1924 2,267,662 Miller Dec. 23, 1941 2,502,587 Phipps Apr. 4, 1950 

